Sactown Blues

More Than Meets the Eye

Theme: More Than Meets the Eye

ASPECT: CONFLICTINGIDENTITIES

Sacramento is a deceiving city. Firstly, it does not seem like it is the sixth largest city in California, but it is. It has a local feel, and if you look, you can always find a farmer’s market or festival in one of our many, many parks. It is a city, but is so very close to the country and all sorts of recreation; two major rivers (the American and Sacramento), parks aplenty, and Folsom lake a half hour away make it a wonderland for boaters and picnickers alike.

Sacramento seems a very clean town, with business opportunities and (of course) being the capitol of the most powerful state in the USA, it is rife with the big-wigs and movers-and-shakers of California politics. The sunny climate and warm days give the city an air of cleanliness and wholesomeness.

But of course, there is a flip-side to the story. Dirty politics, crime and other mundane black-heartedness stains an otherwise clean-seeming city. Dig deeper into any aspect of the city and you will unearth the loam of corruption, deception and sinister doings. There is a dark side to the city, and if you look for it, you will find it. Or perhaps, it will find you.

The good news is this: for the most part, if you never look beyond the colorful suburban neighborhoods and the pristine river corridor, you may escape unscathed, remaining in blissful denial. Hell, most of the mortal world is simply that – in ignorance of the truth.

Sacramento has its hidden supernatural scene, and for those in the know, you don’t have to look all that hard.

It is clear that not all politicians are mortal. Politics, by its very nature, attracts the usual small percentage of supernatural creatures seeking power and prestige over the mortal realm. It is very useful for a supernatural group to have insider influence regarding legislation of the laws. Additionally, many of those in power are demon-ridden, or thralls of a supernatural power to some extent or another. Be it an actual presence at the capitol, or a mortal representative by proxy, you can take it to the bank that the big picture politics in California is at least monitored, if not outright influenced or controlled, by supernatural individuals and organizations.

Sacramento, California claims to have more trees per capita than any other city in the world – including Paris, France. Most think of the beauty, or the allergies… But there is one major reason for all these trees that folks don’t know – they are a nexus of portals for the Faeries. Most of these trees are not indigenous to the area, but due to the plentiful water and pristine environment, all these trees thrive. Settlers and foreigners brought seeds and saplings to Sacramento from all over the globe, and the Faeries use the trees to slide through the Nevernever to a connecting species elsewhere in the world. Think of it like a mass-transit teleportation system. But of course, only the Fae know how to use it. Sure, they can take along passengers, but that is a bit tricksy. Non Faerie blood can cause small imbalances in the magic they use during the transfer, so humans and other non-fae can cause (usually) minor errors in the transport.

The duality of Sacramento is not limited to its politics and trees. Keep a wary eye out, for things lurk in the shadows, and when the sun goes down, things get really interesting.

FACES

The Autumn Court is interested in
preserving and protecting the Nexus and
keeping the ways open. They also seem to
have an interest in saving the fey face
despite their true nature of celebrants
of the harvest.

Government agencies have always garnered
a duplicitous reputation. It is no
different in Sacramento. Mather Airfield,
for instance, houses a secret government
facility, despiteits decommissioned
status.